The most powerful protections will likely be accessible only to those prepared to cover a steep cost in their opinion, although Microsoft has fortified the most recent version of Windows to allow it to be more safe than previous versions.

Countering unknown susceptibility — also called “zero day” susceptibility — is very significant since they can be a strong tool used to penetrate systems and steal information by attackers, especially those working for nation states.

Rather than focus on one vulnerability, Microsoft is focusing on mitigation techniques that counter types of Florio, Oh and exploits described.

For the best post-breach protection, Windows Defender ATP should be signed up for by customers, Florio and Oh proposed, a service that’s available simply to users of Windows Enterprise E5.

That seems to be a departure from Windows security was treated before, noted Michael Cherry, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft.

There was a dedication to making all variants of Windows safe when Microsoft launched its Trustworthy Computing initiative in 2002, he remembered.

“Now, what Microsoft is saying discreetly,” Cherry told TechNewsWorld, is that “to function as the most risk-free on Windows, you need to use Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection — but we are saving that for our best customers, our customers prepared to cover the business version. Thatis a large change that is occurring in Windows security.”

However, the security developments in the newest Windows 10 Anniversary Update are rewarding for consumers.

“Microsoft is addressing zero days and exploits generally speaking by sandboxing lots of the parts in the operating system,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Sandboxing is a technique used to isolate action without changing its environment, where it could be detected. Then it will not be permitted to play with the other parts of a system in case it acts poorly in the sandbox.

Sandbox techniques were used to neutralize an exploit that used fonts that were corrupted to gain escalated privileges and Florio described. Escalated privileges enable greater freedom to roam and get information on a network to an intruder.

Room for Advancement

While Microsoft is making great progress in hardening the Windows kernel, the security of the operating system might increase in other places, also. Among these places is third party programs and parts.

“While it is trying to make certain that its operating system is safe, it still depends upon Flash, Java as well as other items of applications. By the end of the day, the security of the machine will depend on every one of the pieces, not only what Microsoft boats,” Malwarebytes’ Segura noted.

“You might have an OS that is secure, but for those who really have an out-of-date Flash plugin, you can nevertheless get infected,” he pointed out.

Microsoft Office docs are being also exploited by hackers.

Risk to Security Sellers?

Will it endanger the security ecosystem that’s grown up around the OS as Windows security improves?

“Microsoft is pushing its antivirus software,” he told TechNewsWorld, “so it is not saying you do not want antivirus anymore.”